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Ralph Nader and Bruce Fein unite to call for eye on government

The millennial generation has been called self absorbed, but also as deeply connected – thanks to new technology and a renewed willingness to trust its elders. But will those connections – and that respect – translate into participation in and concern for politics and the law? Former presidential candidate and consumer advocate Ralph Nader ’58 and former Deputy Attorney General and FCC General Counsel Bruce Fein ’72 come from somewhat different places ideologically, but both agree that lax oversight has allowed government to run amok. Full story

Nuance needed in dealing with Iran

Most people focus on Iran’s alleged ambition to join the exclusive club of nuclear weapons nations as a grave security threat. Whether or not Iran actually aspires to acquire nuclear capability is debatable, but what is certain is that examining the nuclear program in isolation of the political landscape within Iran and the broader strategic environment in the Middle East is a fatal mistake. The problem with Iran is more complex than a clandestine nuclear program or the enrichment of uranium; the problem is what Iran stands for and represents: a religious response to the problem of governance in the Middle East. Full story

Howard Zinn's people speak...but who are they?

Zinn celebrates democracy, albeit a version of American democracy that deeply emphasizes extraparliamentary and extraconstitutional movement as the engine of meaningful change. His stance raises questions about the extent to which he would continue to embrace these ideas today. The increasing noise made by the Tea Party movement is a reminder that plenty of “people’s movements” never made it into Zinn’s history – those that didn’t fit his ideological valence. Radical libertarians and religious fundamentalists have also had a significant – if sometimes frighteningly destabilizing – influence on American history. As much justice resulted from the courageous acts of many individuals Zinn celebrates, the rule of law can be bent both ways. Full story

Bob Mnookin deals with the devil

You’ve just discovered that this company has violated your contract by secretly creating a knock-off of the design you licensed to them—and selling it in the Chinese market! They deny wrongdoing, and they also want to renegotiate your original contract. You are so angry you can hardly think straight. But what should you do? Should you bargain with this devil? This question, which arises in so many situations, is central to Bargaining with the Devil: When to Negotiate, When to Fight, a new book by Professor Robert H. Mnookin ’68, Chair of the Program on Negotiation. Full story

WOMEN IN CHARGE

Top Story

Valerie Jarrett, Illinois Attorney General among influential women convening at conference

According to the Economist, women still occupy less than five percent of management at top companies, face a serious pay disparity, and bear a disproportionate burden when raising children while pursuing a career. With these challenges in mind, Harvard Law School's Women's Law Association convened its annual conference on Friday, February 19th, bringing together women including Valerie Jarrett, Silda Wall Spitzer, and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, among other leaders in both the public and private sectors to discuss the dual role of women as participants in a changing society and facilitators of future change. Full story

Harvard Law Record, V. 130 No. 5, March 11, 2010